PCs: Brother Jin, Clan Clan, Masq Timor (who also @emits Isel Tu and Lady Kalihandra)

Synopsis: Masq Timor, on a trade mission, offers a ride to a monk and his strange ward.  The merchant and the monk disagree over certain pragmatic merchantile matters with horrors from beyond the edge of the world.

 

The sun is setting, far in the west, and highlights the long line of wagons, slowly rolling across the Hundred Kingdoms. It casts it's red light on the mercenary guards, well over a hundred, and reflects dully off the iron collars and manacles of the many slaves, bound in the covered wagons. At the front of the procession rides Masq Timor, comfortably seated across from his attache and bodyguard.

 

Brother Jin is walking on the road with his wood block sandals making a clopping sound with each step. Oh his hand he has a staff which he uses as a walking stick and on his head is the ubiquitous straw hat to keep the sun out of his eyes. His robes mark him as some sort of monk, though he lacks any insignia from any religious order and the man certainly does not look like scion of the Dragons.

 

Masq Timor looks out from his wagon, as they draw up on the monk's path. "Evening," he says, raising his voice to be heard over the thump and rumble of the wagons. "What brings you along these roads?"

 

Trotting beside the monk is an odd figure. A smallish female with a long fluffy feline tail and a pair of cat ears sticking out of her head. An over sized Guqin slung over her back, nearly as long as she is tall. "Come on Jin!" she seems to tease him as she wraps her arm around his and lean on him "I know you have another poem in ya" ears picking up to the sound of the cart she runs toward it a few paces and waves exuberantly. "Hello! Just walken for the sake of it, and spreading some music as we go" she chirps tail wagging behind her

 

Jin allows the cat girl to wrap her arm around his and sighs, "Please, Clan Clan, I've already recited at least twenty. The only others that come to mind are old Shogunate poems of the Dragons." He looks at the girl and smiles mischieviously at her, "Surely you don't want me to bore you with those." He looks at the caravan infront of them and frowns tensing up. Bowing respectfully he says, "Greetings, I am Jin of Great Forks. You are a merchant caravan yes?"

 

Masq Timor hmm, nodding slightly. "In a manner of speaking. Masq Timor, merchant of the Guild, at your service. Pleasure to meet you both. Don't suppose you'd care for a ride?" He smiles, a bit toothily. "It's a long trip, and some music would be welcome."

 

"Yay! Wagon!" Grabbing the edge of the wagon, Clan pulls herself up rather gracefully, ploping into the back of the mans wagon "Aahhhh get to relax...." sighing with a bit of relief. Looking about she noses through anything thing directly near her, curiosity getting the best of her. "Come on up Jin do some poems, some of those Shogunate ones, and I can play music to it" she bounces up and down with some excitement. "Clan Clan" gesturing to her self striking a kind of a pose "What'ya selling Mr. Masq the merchant"

 

The dark haired woman next to Timor smiles indulgently at the cat-eared girl, starting to reach out before hesitating and asking, "Would it be alright if I..." she trails off, indincating Clan's ears.

 

Masq Timor shrugs slightly, waving back towards the trailing wagons. "Slaves, mostly. There's medecine and salt- I swear, I can't get salt fast enough to keep up with demand. But this trip's mostly for slaves," he says. Dimly, through the thick wood of the wagon, there's a sound of a brief scuffle, of chains rattling and men shouting. Then a whip crack, another, and the sound receeds away.

 

Jin shakes his head and smiles. He gracefully pulls himself up onto the wagon and says, "Many thanks Master Masq, I appreciate it." He looks at Clan Clan before adding, "And I believe my lovely companion appreciates it even more." He sits back with Clan and sighs, "Very well, Clan Clan. If you play the score, I shall sing along with it. So long as Master Masq does not mind." He looks at Masq and says in a most reassuring tone, "I am quite an able singer."

 

Masq Timor smiles towards Jin at that, nodding slightly. "I trust you in that," he replies, then joins the dark haired woman in looking expectently at Clan, albiet apparently for different reasons.

 

Setting her Guqin on her lap and striking a few notes, Clan smiles, tail wagging happily. Playing a few cords, she takes some time to think what she wants to play. "I know, I'll play this tune" she starts into it. Anyone from Tajome would have heard it. A tune written by the Anathema Minus. Bobbing her head to the tune, making it fit nicely to go with any poetry Jin starts to resight.

 

Jin wraps an arm around Clan as she begins--a very unmonkly move on his part. Once her tune is decided, Jin begins to sing. He is clearly an expert singer at least on par with any professional anywhere. His voice is majestic and commanding at the same time--some might even find it hypnotic. Jin seems to be singing mostly to Clan Clan--his travelling companion.

 

The dark haired woman takes Jin's lack of comment for assent, and gently brushes at Clan's ears, smiling broadly. In short order, both she and Masq are nodding in time with the music. "Well sung. I heard something similiar to that in Nexus, just recently, but not played with so much skill, nor did the singer have such a fine voice." he says appreciatively.

 

Clan leans into the woman's petting, a little torn between leaning on Jin and leaning towards the petting. The music does not faultier or miss a beat even as she closes her eyes enjoying it like any cat does. "Thanks!" smiling from ear to ear. "Love to know ya love my work~, Anything you would like to hear? Since you are carriny our lazy hides about on your cart."

 

Jin does not mind seeing two women spreading the love and simply smiles. When Clan Clan mentions their 'lazy hides' he frowns, "I am not lazy, Clan Clan. You're the lazy kitten that jumped on the cart at the invitation alone. You didn't even let Master Masq help you up properly." His chastising tone melts into a more caring one and he grabs her tail, lightly grooming it, "Still, that's what makes you so adorable I guess."

 

Masq Timor gives the dark haired woman a somewhat disapproving look, and she frowns back at him, continuing to defiantly stroke Clan's hair and ears. Masq shrugs, then smiles weakly. "And this is my attache, Isel Tu," he says, by way of introduction, before hmming quietly to himself. "Any songs... Well..." he runs a hand along the back of his head- just as the wagon suddenly jolts to a stop, the horses whinnying in protest. "What the devil," he mutters, leaning to look out the front.

 

Before the front wagon sits an impossibly beatiful woman, astride a horse that seems woven of clouds. Around her, a collection of pale grey hounds, tall and strangely quiet, watch with too-intelligent eyes. "Ho the wagon!" the woman calls out, her voice like burnished silver.

 

"I was joking you" Clan Clan shakes her head "Hopeless" she sighs nudding your side. Sinking more and more towards Isel, purring louder. Purring till the cart jolts making her lose her blance and fall onto the poor girl. Clan is small so it doesn't hurt anything more than her pride maybe. "Ho the wagon?" she askes still in a bit of a compermisng spot. Sitting up she looks at the strange things. "Your in our way please move" she smiles

 

Jin is a blur of action. He vaults over and onto the ground, landing perfectly with a Green Jade Powerbow popping out of seeming nowhere into his hand with an iron arrow nocked. He executes the Wood Dragon's Form with a precision that takes most Immaculate Masters the better part of their life to achieve. "My eyes do not deceive me," he says defiantly, "You are one of the Fair Folk. I shall not allow you to ravage any of my charges! Leave and you will not feel the sting of cold iron."

 

The woman glares down, and Masq jumps down, doing his best to interpose himself between Jin and the woman. "Ahhha-" he says quickly. "No need to be like that," he says, giving Jin a glare, and sketching a quick bow towards the rider. "Good evening, Lady Kalihandra of the Hunt," he says, voice very formal.

 

The woman looks down, as if examining a bug, glaring at Jin, then turning a cold, angry glare to Masq. "You would bring people who threaten with iron to the court? You consort with monks now, Guildsman?"

 

"Fair folk?" Clan sits up "cool" hopping to the front of the cart to get herself a better veiw of the scene. "Oh he is all monk-ish, Miss Fair Folk, he gets that way some times" she cocks her head eyes full of curiosity, "I've never met one of yous before" tail twitching she looks the woman over.

 

Jin puts away the bow as quickly as it came out, making people wonder how he does such things. "I am no monk, Kalihandra," Jin confesses, "I am merely a servant of the Dragons and the people of Creation. Master Masq was kind enough to offer me and my companion a ride, when you appeared as if out of nowhere I thought you were threatening my benefactor--something I would not allow." He bows to the woman and then adds, "Any friend of his is a friend of mine."

 

Masq Timor spares Jin one last, 'shut up' glare, bowing deeply to the woman. "Of course not," he says quickly. "I'm here to honor the trade, and brought musicians to make the road merrier," he says soothingly. Then, "And I presume you're here for the toll," he adds.

 

The woman on the horse looks towards Clan. A small smile appears briefly. "I have seen those like you, before. Would you care to join my hunts?" She waves towards the hounds. "I can always use another seeker."

 

"Really?" Clan glees, pouncing off the cart in front of the horse. Giving the odd thing a once over. Circling it, sniffing it, then softly trying to pet its muzzle, then nuzzling it with her face. "I don't know how good I would be though, I'm a musician by trade." the Guqin on her back confirming this. "Maybe I can play in a court or two?" she asks "I bet I'm more suited for that, though hunting sounds fun too" she sounds torn

 

Jin is still rather wary of the Fair Folk and asks, "Lady, may I ask what it is that you hunt for? I am an excellent archer, perhaps I could help you in your hunt."

 

The woman laughs at Clan Clan's actions, although the hounds give a low, deep rumble. "Maybe I will, at that," she says. "We could use a new jester, and a musician from the lands of shape trying to compete with Elethor of the Golden Flute should amuse," Her expression cools as she turns her attention towards Jin. "Mostly people," she replies. "Tonight," she says, her teeth sharp and white, "a child."

 

Masq, for his part, hustles towards the first wagon, shouting orders. "No- no, seven, not five! SEVEN, damn you!" Guards begin pulling the resisting men off the wagon, forcing them forward, towards the front.

 

Clans ears drop, eyes fill with sad "Children?" almost whining, then backs off a step, even in resplandacy she is having a hard time letting this slide. Spinning about she looks from Jin to Masq. Some one has to stop this. "I have an Idea, If I can impress you with a song do you think that might slight your desire to hunt for a day? We can make a game out of it maybe?" looks hopefull, and bats her eyes trying to look cute "YOu like games right?

 

Jin's expression hardens and his bow is back in his hand. He looks at Masq with hate in his eyes but turns his attention back to the Fair Folk. "No," he says cooly, "You will not be hunting a child tonight." The symbol of the Zenith caste shines on his forehead, "You will not be hunting anyone anymore. I am no monk, but by the Dragons and the Unconquered Sun I will not allow you to harm a child!"

 

The woman on horseback looks down at Clan, and smiles slightly. The hounds at her horse's feet tense briefly, and she seems on the verge of replying when Jin gives his challenge. And her response is most likely expected- she grins hugely. "Wonderful!" she shouts. "Hounds, drag down the not-monk!"

 

"No! Get those idiots before they hurt her!" he shouts, sending a dozen heavily armed men towards the front, another trio guarding the chosen slaves, their eyes fixed on Jin.

 

Bolting Clan hops back into the wagon hiding behind the girl that petted her. After all Jin is a Solar he can handle this. Setting her Guqin down she sighs nervously looking over the woman's shoulder. "Ga! don't get all killy staby!" she ducks as something goes by her and sticks her head up again "Can't we all just get along?"

 

Jin remembers that Clan Clan is with him, then looks at the mortals and frowns. He spreads his arms open and suddenly he burns with the incandescent radiance of the Unconquered Sun making him a terrifying agent of righteousness. "Hold your actions, mortals," he says in a verberating, booming voice, "Do not brave the wrath of the Dragons and the Unconquered Sun." He levels his eyes with the cataphract and points a luminous finger at her, "You will not hunt today, Creation is not your place. Leave."

 

Isel Tu holds Clan close, stroking her hair. "There now, it'll be fine. Lady Kal is just a bit high spirited. Likes the sound of her voice... There now, it'll be fine. Masq has dealt with her before."

 

The guards, and even Masq stop to watch and listen to Jin, minds growing clouded with his words. The woman, however, hisses, the horse rearing back, the hounds letting loose a collection of baying howls like the cries of mourning children. "So, a Golden Bull," the lady grunts, before regaining her horse, and cantering back a few steps. She glares icy hatred towards him. "I have a hunt to pursue. But I swear, by stream and stone, we shall meet again, Lawgiver, and you will fall before my hounds, if no other hunt will have you." With which, she turns away, starting to canter into the gloom of gathering night, the hounds following around her.

 

Clan is calmed by the Isels words, still breathing a bit hard "Th-they left?" she pokes an eye out scanning the area, seeing the source of the loud noise, and her tail poofs in fluffy surprise seeing Jin wreathed in golden flame. Ears straight up in alert. "J-j-jin's? Jins an Anaer..." she shakes her head "Solar?"

 

Jin stands his ground and nods to the woman, "Yes, I am cursed with the taint of the Anathema. Yet even I, a Blasphemous, am above hunting mortals for sport. You truly are a creature of chaos, your kind do not belong here." As she leaves he turns to the caravan and says, "I mean you no harm, none of you, but by the blood of the Dragons I will gladly give my life before I allow any mortal to fall to the ravage of the Fae." He looks directly at Masq and chastises him, "And you! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Masq. You deal in blood and salt with creatures darker than an Anathema..."

 

Masq Timor huhs, shaking his head slightly as if clearing it of some cobwebs. "Wait- you're... huh," he replies, coming up a bit stumped. Not really chastised looking, just, confused. "Well, half right. I deal in blood with the Folk. I deal in salt to the people of the Silent Peaks, keeping them safe from hungry ghosts and the like." He gives Jin a broad, toothy grin. "And it's because of the former I can do the later." The grin fades, as he watches after the retreating woman. "And now, you might have ruined that. Ruined!" He shakes his head again. "Cahlenna will be pissed that the toll didn't get collected." He shakes his head slowly. "I hate to think that the Opal Court will be raiding more on innocent villages, because they didn't get their spate of rapists and murderers instead."

 

Clan still enjoys a hiding place with the dark haired woman, liking the part were she is petted the most. Eyeing Jin still she isn't quite sure what to do for a moment, seem evevryother person seems to be a Solar out here. "You could give us a bit-o-warning, mind crushing fey spoken only in horror stories and such eating child brains don't seem to be the best to give people over to." she shivers in the girls arms

 

Jin quips back, "Even rapists and murderers are people. Giving them over to the Fair Folk is a fate much worse than death or torture. You are a Guildsman, surely if you put your resources to good use you could easily aid the fight against the Opal Court and still make a profit." His light does not diminish and his voice is still relentless in its grandiousness, "I have given them some pause by revealing my true nature. The presence of a Blasphemous against them will buy Creation some time, they will not be raiding anything anytime soon."

 

Isel Tu smiles indulgently at Clan. "Honestly, we hadn't expected her. The Lady hardly watches the toll road any more- she was no where to be found the last two times we came up; I assure you, Masq would have warned you if he'd known." She glances over towards the merchant, concern in her eyes.

 

Masq Timor snerks at that, facing the golden light with the recklessness of a man who hasn't known fear in too long. He seems on the verge on replying, then hesitates. And a smile starts to curl his lip. "So. Jin, was it? You feel deeply for this lot?" he asks, waving vaugely backwards, towards the wagons of slaves. "Would you care to make a deal for them?"

 

"You could let them go free out of the kindness of your heart!" Clan sits up and smiles at the merchant, "Turn them over to Jin, and I'll work for you till you can get your monies worth, shouldn't take more than one good show." she nods tail wagging excitedly with her mental plan "What do ya say hmm?"

 

"You say this lot are rapists and murderers," Jin repeats and then he looks at Masq, "You are also a rapist and murderer. On the one hand you would feign to help it with salt but on the other you would slowly kill Creation and rape its people to fill your own coffers." He smiles grimly and says, "I will let you keep your wicked life if you hand over these men to me."

 

"Awwww let me work Jin~" Clan pleads

 

Isel Tu hushes Clan, trying to push her down. "Let the adults talk," she says softly.

 

Masq grins at Jin, ignoring Clan entirely. "So. You'll turn murderer and bandit, over this scum?" He shrugs slightly, turning to walk back, a little closer to some of the guards. "How about this- I'll hand them over to you, and you'll owe me a favor. Just one," he adds with an easy smile. "Special discount on account of I have a soft spot for you glowing fellows."

 

Jin shakes his head, "You misunderstand, Masq. I believe you were telling the truth when you said these were murderers and rapists. Or at least thieves. If that is the case I believe they deserve a fair trial and if found guilty they should be put to work to make reparations." He points a sun-wreathed finger at Masq, "There is no mistaking your guilt in this matter. You are unapologetic about your blood trade. Your first reparation on the matter is to hand over your slaves to me and I will see to it that these men make their own reparations."

 

"Awww" Clan sighs ears dropping, and kind of lays on Isel's lap, looking board now off all things. Idely strumming her Guqin. Somwere far away a tree falls over, sends a echoing crash over the rood.

 

Masq Timor hmms, giving Jin a somewhat disbelieving look, then starts to climb back into the wagon. "Well, there's just no reasoning with some people," he mutters to himself. "Eastwards," he says, to the driver's look. The wagon starts to creak forward, the guards climbing back aboard, the seven slaves from before being left out, in the dark of the woods at night in chains. Masq's face is placid, and he smiles at Clan. "Well. Sorry about all that; so. You want to continue riding with Isel and me for a bit, or you want to get out with your friend?"

 

Ear twitching that he totally ignored her, she looks to Jin, which she isn't feeling too happy about either, having done the same thing. Isle at least had the curtsy to take and pet her. "I guess I better get out ..." giving the girl a quick friendly hug and jumps out. "Take care Isel! That guy is trouble, watch yourself!" waking by Jin and down the road a bit "Hurry up Jin."

 

Jin shakes his head and says, "I will not allow you to ply your blood trade with impunity." As Clan Clan comes to his side his light dimming until it is extinguished and he falls do his knees weeping, letting his bow fall to the ground. He wraps his arms around Clan's legs and sobs, "I was not strong enough, Clan Clan. I was not strong enough to protect them all, this is all my fault. Me and my cursed Anathemic taint."

 

The wagons roll along, and into the east. Occusionally, the sound of a whipcrack can be heard, or a low, sad cry. Then and again, a mournful baying, like children weeping. But maybe it's just the wind, and not the caravan of slaves, rolling towards the Opal Court.